Aeroplane.



H. MANSON OLIN.

I AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1911. RE 191 mm NEWED JAE. 1' 293% Patented July M, 191% 2 SHBETE-SHEETL H. MANSON-DUN.

. AEROPLANE. I APPLIOATION FILED JULY 19, 1011. RENEWED JAN. 14, 1914. 1 1 zwu m. f 2 m W MIW 9 T E 4H N] N w w .n Wm W Am mm a 1A 62 m w e y t B a P W urin- BOLD MANSON-OLIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AEBOPLANE.

Application filed July 19, 1911,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July it, ram...

Serial No. 639,323. Renewed January 14, 1914. Serial N0. 812,158.

A further object of. my invention is to provide an aeroplane having laterally-ex-v tending wings maintainable rigidly in a horizontal plane, and capable of rotation in this plane, whereby the device may be automatlcally stabilized. I

A further object of, my invention is to provide an aereplane having automatic stabilizing dei' ic'escoacting with steering of Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is and balancin devices.

With the a ove and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the present invention consists in certain novel details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the "accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in WhlCl'l Figure 1 is a plan view looking down upon a preferred embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse elevation of the front of my invention; Fig; 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 a plan view showin the ball bearing connection between the Tmdy and the forward wings; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken through the wings on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the skeleton framework of my machine; Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the horizontal rudder control; and Fig. 8 is a transverse taken on the line 8'8 of Fig. 6, showing the disposition of the supporting planes.

The body of my machine is of a general lmetal, preferably steel, fastened framework by any suitable means,

sectional view tapering shape from the head rearward, and

- as shown in Fig. 1, comprises parallel sides 1, 1, which sides, a short distance from the head, are gradually taperedto the rear and 2. The body is formed by meet at a point disposlng'. transversely thereof, a series of substantially triangle-shaped irame members 4 decreasing in size toward the rear of the machine, the upper iscurved inward and upward, as shownat 5 in Fig. 8. This skeleton construction is coated with a suitable thinand light sheet to the and presenting a smooth outside surface, to reduce the skin friction.

Disposed .upon opposite sides of the legs 6 of each of the members 4, is a series of transversely-disposed planes 7 8 and 9, one superposed above the other and rigidly fas-- tened to the members 4. The lowest plane, which is the smallest, and the intermediate plane, which is slightly the lower plane, are continuous both outside andwithin the member 1. The upper )lane is divided and extends only exteriorly of the member 1. As many of these planes are disposed about the machine as are necessary, and each of said planes is thicker along its inner edge than at its outer edge. This permits of the flexing of the outer portion of each of these planes, thereby preventing undue strain caused by a sudden current of air striking one of the edges of the plane; and, due to the flexibility of these planes, the outer edges will gradually give to any such sudden impulses until the machine has had an opportunity to adjust itself to its new position.

At a point on the machine in a line with the point where the straight and converging sides meet, there is disposed, centrally of the machine and at its uppermost point, a longitudinallyextending bracket 10, preferably recessed, as shown at 11, in order to make the same as light as possible, and having a centrally-disposed aperture 12 in which is slidably mounted an arc-shaped arm 13, normally held in a central position by means of oppositely-disposed sprlngs 14, the outer end of each of which is attached to a part of the arm 13 on opposite sides of the bracket 10, and having the other end of each of said springs attached to said thereby leg of each of which larger in width than bracket. it will be seen that by this construction the arm 1 is held flexibly in place.

Projecting from the forward end of the machine and having its center at the center of curvature of the arm 13, is a stud 15, rigidly mounted upon the upper part of the machine. Disposedabout the stud 15 are ball bearings 16 spacing a washer 17, surrounding which washer 17 are additional wings in a horizontal plane against the action of either one of the springs 14, which action is'facilitated by mea. .s of the antifriction devices 16, 17 and 18. The wings 21 and 22 are of the general structure shown in plan in Fig. 1, having a relatively thick front edge 24, as shown inFig. 5, gradually tapering to a thin rear edge 25, the entire Wing being curved slightly downward and rearward, as shown in Fig. 5. Viewed in end elevation (Fig. 2), the inner ends of the wings are horizontally-disposed as shown at 26, with their tip ends diverging upward and outward, as shown at 26', the broad portion 27 presenting in efiect, a vertical surface 28, due to the downward curvature of the wing, as shown in Fig. 5. The purpose of these movable wings is to aid in securing automatic stability of the device. For instance, the wing on that side receiving an abnormal wind pressure will respond to the pressure which acts against the under surface 28, causes it to be forced rearward to the body, thus reducing the supporting surface on that side, and through the arm 13, forcing the wing on the other side forward, thereby increasing the resistance on that side. As the device responds to this unequal distribution of supporting surface, it will automatically right itself under the tension of the springs 14.

Projecting rearward from the vertical center of the machine, is a flexible vertical fish-tail rudder 29 extending from opposite sides of which are guys 30 leading to a steering device hereinafter described. 'Position ed just in advance of the rudder 29 and in rear of the ends of the supporting plane 9, is rigidly fastened 31, 31 similar in construction to the wings 21 and 22, but immovably affixed to the body of the machine. and materially smaller than the width of the wings 21 and 22. Preferably these rear wings 31, 31. are of such size that a line passing from the outer tip of a pair of wingseither of the Wings 21 and 22 and drawn to the end of the horizontal rudder would just touch the outer tips of the rear wings.

In order to steer the device in both a horizontal and a vertical direction, there is disposed in the forward part of the machine, removable shaft 32 having a hand wheel 33 attached to one end and having the other end disposed in a cylinder 34, which cylinder contains a coil spring 35 bearing on the end of the shaft 32 and tending to force said shaft outward to bring the bevel gear 36 into mesh with the oppositely-disposed bevel gears 37 on the inner ends of shafts 38 and 39, each of which shafts carries a pulley 40 and 41, respectively, upon which Is wound one of the guys 30 controlling the rear vertical rudder. When the gear 36 is in contact with the horizontal steering mechanism, the gear 42 is in mesh with the gears 43 on the inner ends of the shafts 44,-each of which shafts carries a air of double-drum pulleys 45, upon whic 1,pulleys are wound two sets of guys, one set, 46, leading to the lower arm of a lever 47, which lever has pivoted thereto a horizontal steering plane 48 disposed on the right forward side of the machine. The other guy 49 leads to the upper end of a lever 50 supporting a horizontal plane 51 disposed on the opposite side of the machine to the disposition of the plane 48. By this connection, it is possible to steer the device to the right .or left, and, at the same time, to maintain the entire machine in equilibrium. For instance, when a turn to the right is to be made, the steeringwheel 30 is turned to the right, causing the shaft 32 and gears 36 and 42 also to turn to the right, thereby shortening one of the guys 30 and lengthening the opposite guy, thereby flexing the rudder or tail 29 to the'right. At the same time, the shaft 44 is revolved in the same direction as the shaft 39 winding the uys 46, causing it to raise the left front ru der 48 and to depress the right front rudder. It will be seen that by this arrangement of the guys 46 and 47, all slack is taken up maintaining a rigid connection between these several elements.

When it is desired to raise or lower the machine, the shaft .32 is pressed forward against the action of the the gear 51 into mesh with the oppositelydisposed gears 52 positioned on the inner ends of transversely-disposed shafts 53,

which shafts each carry a pair of drums 54 similar in arrangement to the drums 45 hereinbefore described. Upon the drums 54 are wound in opposite directions, guys 55 having a connection with the horizontal supporting planes 48 and 51, similar to'the connections described for the drums 45. It will be seen that by this disposition of the gearing mechanism, it is possible to simultaneously elevate or depress the horizontal spring 35, bringing planes 4S and 51, without moving the horizontal steering rudder in the rear.

Many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without delfarting from the scope thereof. It is intended that all matters contained herein, in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claim is merely intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween, and that materials, sizes and relativities of parts are non-essential, except as called for in the claim.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

In an aeroplane frame, comprising a series of triangular-shaped frame members decreasing in size from one end of the frame to the other and disposed transversely of the same, a series of transversely-disposed planes, one superposed above the other and rigidly extending outward from each transverse side of the supporting members, each of said planes extending outwardly a greater distance than the plane next below, the lowest of said planes being continuous both outside and Within the supporting members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HAROLD MANSON-OLIN.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH BISHOP, Crms. W. H. AKBERG. 

